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December 02, 2008   Login


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Cavalier Soccer breaks into National top-25 Rankings!

Three years ago, the men’s soccer team of Montreat College won only three games the entire season. To add salt to Head Coach Jamath Shoffner’s wound, only five players would return after that season. One can only imagine seeing Coach Shoffner scratch his head wondering what the future would hold; he knew it would be a tough journey, but he also had a steadfast vision of building a conference leading, national caliber program. He knew his soccer field at the Black Mountain campus, surrounded by glorious mountains, could serve as his team’s sanctuary, where he envisioned large crowds gathering to watch high caliber collegiate soccer. Fast forward to 2007, the fruit of Shoffner’s labor is now ripe, and how sweet it is. Wednesday, October, 3rd, 2007 will go down in Montreat soccer history as the day the Cavaliers broke into the NAIA national rankings by earning the 24th spot.

Currently playing professional soccer in Germany, Head Coach Jamath Shoffner learned early of his team’s breakthrough as he and interim head coach Michael Combs are in constant discussion about the team’s progress.  “I’m just so proud right now of our players and our coaching staff for this accomplishment.  Our players have set out, since my first recruiting class three years ago, that one of our goals would be to break into the top 25 teams in the country,” said Coach Shoffner from his home in Germany.  “It’s taken a tremendous amount of hard work to get to this point, but I couldn’t be more proud of our players.  For our program to go from three wins three years ago to a national ranking says so much about our commitment.”

Coach Shoffner and his staff, Michael Combs and Josh Riccardi, understand this monumental achievement took an overwhelming collaborative effort.  “We couldn’t have made it this far had it not been for the support of our administration and community.  I hope we can continue our run throughout the remainder of the season.  I also hope our men can take some motivation from this ranking in order to work even harder,” added Coach Shoffner.

Upon returning from Germany later this year, Coach Shoffner can now take a step back, scratch his head again and reflect on his three year building process of his program’s success- but, more than likely, as with most champions, he and his staff will be busy setting even higher goals for the next three years.


2007 NAIA Men's Soccer Top 25 Poll - Oct. 3 (Rating #5)

RANK

LAST WEEK

SCHOOL (Region)

1st PLACE VOTES

2007 RECORD*

TOTAL POINTS

1

1

Concordia (Calif.) (II)

12

9-0-0

348

2

2